Liverpool and Manchester City met for the first time in 1893 in a Second Division match that the Reds won by the only goal of the game – check out our Premier League Rivalries piece looking at more recent pivotal clashes in English football’s top flight.
Premier League Rivalries: 5 Famous Man City v Liverpool Fixtures
Many of their subsequent 196 clashes have been far more entertaining than that, though, and their recent fights for the Premier League title have made it one of English football’s top rivalries. Liverpool’s 2-0 win in their first meeting this season extended their head-to-head advantage over City, with the Merseyside club now having 94 victories to the Citizens’ 50 and there have been 53 draws.
With the next meeting between the teams coming up at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, 23rd February, we have picked out five of their most memorable clashes.
Premier League Rivalries: Liverpool 3 v Man City 2 (Sept 2000)
It may be a surprise to some younger fans but Liverpool and Manchester City have not always been contenders for the title throughout their history and there was a gap in class between the teams when they met in September 2000. Liverpool went on to finish third in the league that season, while City were relegated in 18th place just a year after winning promotion from the second tier..
The list of scorers from their early-season clash at Anfield was incredible, though. Michael Owen put Liverpool ahead after 11 minutes and Dietmar Hamann made it 2-0 in the second half. City then rallied to threaten an upset as substitute George Weah (the 1995 Ballon d’Or winner and FIFA World Player of the Year and a future president of Liberia) pulled one back in the 67th minute.
Midfielder Kevin Horlock levelled the match from the penalty spot after 81 minutes when Alf-Inge Haaland (father of Erling) was tripped by Djimi Traore. The away fans’ joy was short-lived though, as Hamann made it 3-2 a minute later, and a late City effort by Paolo Wanchope was ruled out for a foul on the goalkeeper.
Premier League Rivalries: Liverpool 3 v Man City 2 (Apr 2014)
Liverpool looked to have secured a decisive result in their bid to win the Premier League for the first time when they overcame City in a late-season Anfield clash in 2014, but it was not to be. The Reds went 2-0 up in the first half through Raheem Sterling and Martin Skrtel, but City hit back with a David Silva strike and a Glen Johnson own goal to go level after 62 minutes.
The final goal of the tense clash was scored by Philippe Coutinho in the 78th minute after a mistake by Vincent Kompany. Jordan Henderson was sent off for the Reds late on but they held on to move seven points clear of City with only four games left to play. City had six matches left and took advantage of Liverpool’s failure to beat Chelsea and Crystal Palace to pip them to the title.
Premier League Rivalries: Liverpool 4 v Man City 3 (Jan 2018)
Manchester City had gone unbeaten in their first 22 matches of the 2017-18 Premier League season when their super start was ended in a thriller at Anfield. The Reds had just sold Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona for a huge fee but took an early lead through Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and were in front for most of the first half until an equaliser from Leroy Sane.
Liverpool then kicked clear with three goals in nine minutes from forwards Robert Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, but there was more drama to come. Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan pulled it back to 4-3 but City’s bid for an unbeaten campaign was over.
Premier League Rivalries: Man City 2 Liverpool 1 (Jan 2019)
City got their revenge 12 months later as this time it was Liverpool who had their impressive unbeaten start to their Premier League campaign ruined by their rivals. There weren’t as many goals on this occasion but it was another epic encounter in a game played on a Thursday night.
Liverpool hit the post just before Sergio Aguero gave City a 40th-minute lead but Roberto Firmino made it 1-1 with a header after 64 minutes. Leroy Sane scored the winner eight minutes later and both teams had further chances in a classic encounter.
Premier League Rivalries: Man City 4 Liverpool 1 (Jan 2023)
Liverpool won their first contest against City in the 2022-23 season 1-0 and went ahead through Mohamed Salah in the 17th minute of the return match at the Etihad. City were trailing Arsenal in the title race at the time but had scored 13 goals in their previous two matches and added four more without reply despite missing the injured Erling Haaland.
Julian Alvarez got them back on level terms before the break and they turned on the style in the second half with goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish in a scintillating performance.
By Adrian Mills
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